Environmental Issue & Sick Building Syndrome Blog

You have probably seen the pictures of crowds in Japan where there
are some of the people are wearing respirator masks. The reason is not
what most of us would guess. Americans tend to wear the masks to protect
themselves from getting sick from other people if they have immune
issues.

In the Japanese culture. if you have a contagious illness you have a
responsibility to wear the mask to protect the well people. Americans
are usually not as careful to “keep illness to themselves.”

That having been said, here are the public areas you may not have
thought about that could be a source of you getting sick with
suggestions to avoid the risk.

Doors Handles on Swinging Doors The button to turn on the hand dryer or the lever to start the paper towel coming out.

The best solution for you is to use an elbow or shoulder to open or start these things when you can.

Keypads. ATMs, Security Access Pads, elevator
buttons, and other such places where hundreds of people touch, but are
never cleaned can give you a contagious disease. A pencil of stylus are
the best solutions to keeping your fingers from delivering the
contamination to your body. If you do touch these things, do not touch
you face until you have used a hand sanitizer.

Menus Restaurant menus have 100 times more bacteria
than a toilet seat, says Charles Gerba, PhD, a microbiologist with the
University of Arizona, better known as Dr. Germ. They’re touched by
tons, but only wiped down once a day, if that, and usually with a used
rag. Instead of washing your hands before you sit down, scrub up after
you order. And never lay your silverware on top of the menu.

Drink Garnish Lemons limes, and other cut-up fruit
used on the rims of glasses are not usually cleaned before cutting or
handled with freshly washed hands. Many germs including E. coli have
been found on these when tested. Order your drinks without the garnish
to avoid this exposure. The little decoration is not worth the
potentially severe stomach and intestinal issues.

Public Water Fountains. Did you ever notice the
slime that is usually around the hole the water spouts from? If that
doesn’t paint the picture, think how many people have turned that
handle. Carry your own water bottle and avoid using these fountains.

Dirty Money The flu virus can live on a dollar bill
for 17 days! But no one uses gloves or tissues to handle money. The
answer is to wash your hands after you handle money. There is a very
good reason that food workers put on plastic gloves to handle food after
they touch money. We need to be just as vigilant and was our hands
after handling money, especially when we are eating food we will touch
such as a sandwich.

Shopping Carts Shopping cart handles can be
downright gross. Turns out you’re picking up more than just a loaf of
bread. That handle can be swarming with up to 11 million microorganisms,
including ones from raw meat. And just think about all the dirty
diapers on that seat — the same one you’re putting your produce on. A
lot of grocery stores have antibacterial wipes handy, so use them.

Hotel and Cruise Ships Rooms You do not know who was
the past person in your room or if they had a contagious illness. Door
handles, remotes, the sides of the racks you open to pit your suitcase
on, the desk, the light switch, the hair dryer…….and on and on. We
purchase large wipes before a trip and take 10 minutes to wipe down the
touch points in a hotel room.

Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs A pubic pool can have
pounds of poop floating around according to Michele Hlavsa, RN, chief of
the CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program. Little kids can carry as much as 10
grams of leftover feces on their rear ends, she says. They don’t make a
habit of washing off before jumping in, so all that poop just rinses
off into the pool. It adds up, and chlorine doesn’t kill everything. The
CDC found that more than half of pools test positive for E. coli, which can cause bloody diarrhea. Your best line of defense? Try not to swallow any water.

If that is not enough, consider the hot tub. They can have additional
disease organisms such as Legionella. The action of the jets puts those
little contagions into the air where you can inhale them and acquire
them. There are also other viruses and bacteria that swim in the water
and may not be killed because of a low level of chlorine or other
disinfectant.

The bottom line is to be aware of the potential for disease exposure
in public. Changing a few habits may keep you healthy. This is
particularly important in times of high exposure risk such as flu season
or on a cruise where Norovirus has broken out

The first step in controlling Asthma triggers is accomplished by
removing contents and materials that can harbor mold and other Asthma triggers.
This needs carefully accomplished without spreading the allergens through the
home like the white seeds on the dandelion plant. Treating the home with the proper
treatment methods and products is another important step. Our approach to this
is to help our clients by identifying the sources of allergens. We then write
an assessment report to guide remediators on the path to giving you a healthy
home.

Though
mold is one of the leading triggers for Asthma, we need to look at every
trigger in the home to make it a healthy home. Other allergens include animal
dander, dust mites, cockroaches and pollen.

This baby is peacefully sleeping on the beautiful carpet and is
breathing in dust mites, dander, dirt and every other allergen brought across
the floor on the shoes of every visitor and paws of every pet. YUCK!

Control irritants: These
can include tobacco smoke, sprays, plug in air fresheners, fragrant candles,
sprays, smog and other pollutants. These can be better controlled with use of
sweepers with HEPA filters and not bagged sweepers. Install hard surface floors
instead of carpet. Minimize dust.

Avoid Other Asthma Triggers: These
include sulfites in food and beverages. These sulfite sources include alcohol,
dried fruit, processed potatoes, sandwich meat and shrimp.

Cold
air can be an Asthma trigger as well as some medicines such as cold medicines,
aspirin, vitamins, and some other supplements.Pesticides to control the pests
that are triggers can also be Asthma triggers. Other VOC’s can be triggers.
Make sure to avoid those chemicals.

We are experts in the subject of mold, allergens and environmental triggers. That
is what we do every day. We want to do more than talk about mold and allergens. We
want every child to have the best chance of having a healthy life. That is why
you can trust us to provide “Healthy Home” information for you and your
family. Please consider us a trusted friend and bookmark us or sign up to
receive our future blog posts.

Did you ever think that exposure to the environmental problems that make us sick is like hitting your thumb with a hammer……..but nobody can tell you what the hammer is?

We go and do so many different things and go so many places each day that it is often difficult to pinpoint what “is” or just as importantly what “is not” making us ill.

Making all of this figuring out whether something in our environment is making us ill more of a puzzle is the fact that we react to environmental stresses in “time delay”. The difficulty is “time delay” is not how our brain usually works.

Please let me explain: If we touch a burner on the stove, we feel pain. If we hit our thumb with hammer, we immediately feel the consequences of that action. Based upon that reaction, we each learn not to do those things. We learn in real time that for those actions there is a predictable, consistent and unpleasant reaction. We also figure out to not do those things again. However, I must admit that when I worked as a carpenter to get through college, that hitting fingers with a hammer happened a couple of times past the first. Before you judge that fact, I assure you that IT WAS NOT ON PURPOSE. Ouch.

Environmental exposures are more complicated because they not only happen in time delay, but they also often occur in combinations of events. Our minds do not do well at processing the complex conditions and events that trigger environmental reactions.

Keeping a diary of how you feel, where you are what you are doing and what you eat is probably the best tool for establishing health patterns that may predict sources of environmental reaction.

As an example, a diary could show that you become ill 6 to 10 hours after a visit to a particular building, riding in and automobile, eating a particular food or a host of other events occurs. This can be a life changing tool.

Based on that information, an assessment by a environmental specialist and testing of the area that appears to be the source of illness is the next step on the path to a return to good health

Mold is one of the most common triggers for health issues. Allergens are another very common trigger. Testing for these issues is a prudent first step in the process of narrowing sources of environmental stressors

Don't let the recent snowfall across the country fool you. Spring is coming and while warm weather, flowers, and sunshine await, so do ticks, ants, and mosquitoes. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) released its bi-annual Bug Barometer last week, and the forecast for this season's pest populations doesn't look good.

Drawing on weather patterns and long-term predictions, the entomologists believe everyone's least favorite neighbors will arrive in full force once the country warms up. You can thank an extra-wet winter and La Niña — the cool phase of a natural climate pattern in Pacific Ocean — for creating conditions very favorable to these intruders.

“This year’s La Niña brought unusual moisture, sleet, and snow to southern areas that are typically much warmer and drier this time of year, while conversely, areas like the Northwest that are usually colder in the winter had much milder weather,” explained Jim Fredericks, Ph.D. in a press release. “Residual moisture is a prime attraction for pests, especially home-damaging termites and mosquitoes known for transmitting disease, and conditions are ideal for when these pests typically flourish in the springtime.”

Rising temperatures that come with the change of seasons also prompt major tick activity. “Tick populations will continue to boom with the onset of even warmer weather ahead,” Fredericks said. Vets across the country have already noticed a major increase in the number of parasites they've spotted on pets this year, and summer's still a long way off.

Here's exactly what you can expect in your region of the country this spring and summer:

Northeast and New England

Thanks to multiple heavy snowstorms and persistent cold weather, rodents will continue to seek food and shelter indoors. Once spring finally arrives, a greater-than-average tick population will emerge, the NPMA predicts.

Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and Midwest

The drier conditions further west will prompt ants to seek moisture indoors this spring, with a boon of ticks expected later this season as well.

Southeast

Even though the South experienced atypical cold this winter, an accumulation of moisture will help mosquitoes thrive quickly. Termites and cockroaches will also start appearing in above-average numbers soon.

North Central

Fly, ant, and — you guessed it — tick populations will likely explode in the Plains region thanks to unseasonably high temperatures.

South Central

Prolonged moist conditions up your risk of termites (ick), with an influx of roaches remaining a concern as the mercury rises.

Northwest

The mild winter personally felt like a blessing, but warm conditions also helped ants survive the season. Now the insects will begin expanding their colonies for spring, with ticks also benefiting from the early thaw.

Southwest

Above-average temps this winter will also translate to more ants and cockroaches arriving earlier than usual.

Wherever you live, one of the best preventative measures you can take is sealing up your house against potential invaders. Filling cracks with caulk or steel wool, repairing torn screens, and replacing door sweeps can deter many pests from making themselves at home.

If you're already spotting insects indoors, make sure to eliminate any potential food and water sources allowing them to prosper. While every pest problem requires a slightly different plan of attack, ants, roaches, flies, and mice all rely on sustenance and shelter to survive.

Imagine you are in one of those science fiction or horror shows where the people are being killed by a mysterious noxious gas. The contaminating gas is slowly and invisibly seeping from unknown sources. Your eyes are burning. Your muscles ache. Your head throbs with pain. With each passing day you are becoming sicker and sicker. Even sleeping is a struggle as your body aches for fresh air.

For many people this is not a movie that will end in a couple of hours. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity patients are living that real-life nightmare. The University of Melbourne has just reported its research in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The study showed that one in four Americans report some form of chemical sensitivity. They concluded that “nearly half of that group could be medically diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) suffering health problems from exposure to common chemical products and pollutants such as insect spray, pain, cleaning supplies, fragrances, and petrochemical fumes (VOC’s).”

The study noted that “people with MCS are like human canaries. They react earlier and more severely to chemical pollutants, even at low levels.”

We have learned that what we eat can affect our health. Too much fat? Too much sugar? Listeria on vegetables? E. Coli in meat? We know those can make us ill, very, very ill.

We eat a few times a day. We breathe ALL the time. Despite this we sometimes have trouble understanding that the chemical soup of fragrances and off-gassing products we create in the air can make some people ill. Yikes, holy odor Batman! How can all those fragrances in everything from household cleaners to new cars, furniture and carpeting and magazines delivered to our homes affect health?

We understand that some children can eat a single peanut and go into anaphylactic shock. Even though it is the same principle, some people do not understand or accept that individuals can react differently to certain shared chemical and biological exposures. It is often family members that do not understand that a spouse or child is reacting to environmental exposures.

Many MCS patients have spent years going to medical providers that fail to diagnose MCS as the cause of their health problems. The good new in this area is that many medical practitioners are now recognizing and treating this condition.

The next challenge for the MCS patient, their family and medical practitioners is identifying the type and location of the exposures that are making them ill. The objective is to avoid those contaminants, but you need to know what you are avoiding to avoid it.

We all know about Glade Air Fresheners. They are a great example of chemicals that can trigger a reaction in a patient. The description of the chemicals in the Material Safety Data Sheet on the Glade website starts that some of the chemicals in them include: _1_alpha___e__2_beta___1__2_6_6_trimethylcyclohex_3_en_1_yl_but_2_en_1_one; 2,4-dimethyl-3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde*; 2,6,10-trimethylundec-9-enal; 2,6-dimethyl-7-octen-2-ol; 2-phenoxyethyl isobutyrate; 2-t-butylcyclohexyl acetate; 3.alpha.,4,5,6,7,7.alpha.-hexahydro-4,7-methano-1h-indenyl propionate; 3-hexenol; 3-methyl-2-butenyl acetate; 4,4.alpha.,5,9.beta.-tetrahydroindeno(1,2-d)-1,3-dioxin; 4-methylanisole; 5-methyl-2-(2-methylpropyl)-1,3-dioxane; amyl cinnamal*; The list of chemicals goes on from this partial list.

Reasons That Homes, Schools, and Public Buildings Now Have Increased Environmental Contaminants

Products and materials of all kinds are packaged and sold with fragrances added.

Building products, furnishings and equipment are made of materials that off-gas chemicals including everything for carpet to cabinets to the plastics used for flexible ductwork

Buildings are built tighter. The old timers would say “the solution to pollution is dilution” HVAC systems and building energy saving systems reduces the introduction of outside air which reduces dilution of chemicals in a building

The bottom line is that there are now hundreds of thousands of exposures to chemicals in increasing tight buildings. Each of the exposures or combination of exposures can create a chemical overload which can be debilitating to sensitive individuals.

Identifying Environmental Triggers

One of the least used, but valuable techniques for identifying environmental triggers is doing a diary of where people spend time, what activities they do, what foods they eat and how they feel. That information can help narrow the source of exposures.

Functional Medicine or Holistic Medical Practitioners have new testing methods to diagnose MCS triggers. There are skin and blood tests that can help identify the patient’s biological reactions to exposures. There is also an evolution of the practices where correlations such as mold exposure and difficulty in recovering from Lyme Disease are being considered.

There are environmental inspectors that can identify sources of environmental hazards. This is far and beyond simply testing the air. The process is to review a property and based upon identified potential sources then test to determine the presence of contaminants. Specially trained professionals are familiar with conditions, products and materials that can be of risk to MCS patients.

Two of the most significant impact items on environmental health today are new products and tighter building envelopes.

The bad news is that many of the building products and contents are made of oil processed in one way or another. Manufacturing complex chemicals is a complicated process. An improper mix, wrong temperature, impurities in a reagent, too long in a vat and the reactions can result is toxin production. In other cases, the produced materials and chemicals are not stable or break down chemically over time. Substitute materials can be used as solvents or as the products themselves and create indoor air toxins.

For a great example of what can happen in every day indoor air, review the MSDS for your favorite air freshener. It will be a page long list of organic chemicals that are plugged into an outlet and heated. The heat breaks down those chemicals into more chemicals.

We also deal with leftover chemicals from prior occupants of a building. These can range from the accidental spill to left over contamination from drug activity in a home. The source of indoor pollution can be spills, burying of toxic materials or pesticide on farmland that happened decades before the building was constructed.

There are countless cleaners and pesticides that people and businesses will store that can spill or off-gas. A change of janitorial service in an adjacent office can introduce toxic chemical cleaners that are used to reduce labor costs that result in toxic fumes. In this scenario, unknowingly the improper mix of incompatible chemicals can create a toxic environment.

There are also a host of toxins produced from poorly vented or unvented furnaces, hot water tanks or other fossil fueled appliances.

Another major potential impact on indoor health is EMF (electromagnetic radiation). Cell phones, electronic devices and microwave devices in everything from cooking to communication systems may affect our heath.

The Bottom Line in Environmental Assessments

The solution to Sick Building Syndrome is a process. It begins with a history of the building, its occupants and the very ground the building sets on. The former site of an old dump or factory could be a plan of multi-million-dollar homes today.

The next step is evaluating the construction materials and methods of the building with consideration of materials that may have been brought into the building envelope.

Those considerations are considered, and a testing plan developed and implemented to identify and verify the type, location and quantity of a contaminant. The factors that may allow the recurrence of a contamination need identified and avoiding those factors incorporated in any remediation.

In the case of possible communicable biological contagions in the building, those need identified and the exposure risks and methods of transmission evaluated and included in the testing and remediation plan.

All these steps are critical to developing a plan to correct the contamination if possible. In some cases, the best advice for an individual would be to avoid a building, but a medical practitioner needs the information provided n the assessment to make that recommendation.

The final steps in the process are to remediate when possible and test the building when work is complete to assure success of the process.

In summary, investigate, discover, verify by testing, remediate and confirm success of remediation or disinfection work to provide a healthy environment for building occupants.

Did you know that every day in your home you come in contact with toxic and hazardous chemicals? If you don’t pay attention and make a concerted effort, it’s almost impossible to avoid this stuff. Let’s look at the most common household chemicals, and what you can do to reduce your exposure and susceptibility to their negative impact on health.

Are Air Fresheners Hazardous?

Just because something smells nice and fresh doesn’t mean that it is good for you. Air fresheners are a prime example. Air fresheners can work by interfering with your sense of smell by coating your nasal passages with an oily film, or they can contain nerve-numbing agents.

Information published in a 2015 issue of The Journal of Toxicological Sciences concluded that air fresheners are a source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor environments. They also contain ultrafine particles and formaldehyde which may cause sensory irritation, respiratory dysfunction, and other serious problems.[1] The full list of harmful side effects is long… damage to the central nervous system, altered hormone levels, organ damage, and damage the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems.[1] Even worse, the negative effects of air fresheners may take years to surface. At that point, it’s too late.

Are Household Cleaners Hazardous?

Ammonia is found in a variety of household cleaners—kitchen, bathroom, floor, oven, glass, and polishers. If the product is at least 5% ammonia, it has to be labeled as poisonous.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine maintains TOXNET, the Toxicology Data Network. According to TOXNET, short-term exposure to ammonia can irritate, burn, and even damage the eyes and skin. Ammonia is irritating to the respiratory tract and causes coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Higher exposure can cause pulmonary edema, a life-threatening issue.[2]

Ammonia is not the only hazardous ingredient in household cleaners. Drain and oven cleaners contain sodium hydroxide (lye). Lye is corrosive and a strong irritant to both skin and eyes.[3] Just touching the stuff can produce serious damage and swallowing it will result in a “lights out” emergency.[4] In high concentrations, lye can burn skin and cause permanent blindness on contact.

Toilet bowl cleaners often contain hydrochloric acid, which is corrosive and will seriously damage any tissue it touches, irreversible damage. Protective equipment is an absolute requirement when handling any product that contains hydrochloric acid (or better yet, don’t handle it). Never mix hydrochloric acid-containing products with bleach as it will produce toxic gas!

When buying household cleaners, read the labels. Pay attention if they say “danger” or “corrosive.” All household products come with warnings and disclaimers. Read them and make sure you know what you are about to buy and exactly how, and how not, to handle it!

The Problem With Dishwasher and Laundry Detergent

Most dishwashing detergents contain chlorine in a dry, concentrated form. Those little dishwasher packets usually have bright colors and have been mistaken for candy by many a curious child. In fact, they’re actually a leading cause of child poisonings. The similar-looking laundry detergent packages have also become a problem.[5]

From January 2013 through December 2014, poison control centers in the U.S. received 62,254 calls related to laundry and dishwasher detergent exposure by children younger than six years old.[5] About 60% of all calls were related to detergent packets; 45% were referred to a healthcare facility—more than twice the number of visits caused by traditional laundry detergents.[5] Every 45 seconds, poison control centers receive a call about a child exposed to toxic laundry detergent packets.

Toxic Carpets, Hazardous Furniture

Many carpet cleaning formulas use toxic substances such as perchloroethylene and ammonium hydroxide. The former is a known carcinogen and can damage the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.[6] The latter is corrosive to the eyes, skin, and respiratory passages.[7, 8]

It’s easy for the carpet, upholstery, and furniture to blend in with the scenery. Few people think of these items as a source of hazardous chemicals. But, they can actually outgas VOCs.[9] VOCs are a group of hazardous chemicals that evaporate at room temperature and include benzene, acetone, and formaldehyde. Exposure, even short-term exposure, to VOCs can cause respiratory irritation, eye irritation, nausea, and headache. It can also trigger asthma symptoms. Long-term exposure to VOCs can cause liver, kidney, or nervous system damage, even cancer.[10]

How to Limit Exposure to Hazardous Household Chemicals

There are many other ways to reduce the toxicity of your indoor living environment. Stop using toxic brands, start using natural, non-toxic alternatives. You can even go a step further and make your own. Baking soda can be an effective cleaner for sinks and tubs. Mix water and vinegar to make a good surface cleaning solution that’ll handle doors and windows without issue.

For laundry, use fragrance-free detergents and avoid the detergent packets. Opt for eco-friendly and organic alternatives.

Traditional mattresses can be loaded with flame-retardant chemicals. Instead, get one that’s all-natural and made from untreated wool, organic cotton, or natural latex.

Instead of cheap, synthetic carpet, find a natural option, preferably something made from wool or hemp. Hemp is resistant to mold and mildew and you can use it in the bathroom or other moist areas. Also, consider that most popular carpet cleaners can be quite harmful to humans and the environment. Instead, use organic and biodegradable alternatives.

To compensate for the toxins you can’t avoid, consider performing a comprehensive, full-body cleanse. Cleansing your colon, kidneys, liver, and gallbladder is a great way to feel better. You can also perform targeted cleanses for harmful organisms or chemicals and toxic metals. Eliminating toxins should not only make you feel better, it should boost your energy.

Do you have any tips for a less-toxic home? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts with us.

†Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Global Healing Center does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Global Healing Center are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.

Identifying and cleaning touchpoints is the best practice to control the spread of germs in homes, schools, and businesses. Touchpoints are the places where germs can sit and wait to infect the next person.

The “handshake” is the ultimate touchpoint where we transfer communicable diseases to each other in the name of greeting each other. We do this ritual everywhere from the workplace, and grocery store to our houses of worship. In times of communicable diseases, the elbow bump makes a lot more sense than the handshake.

Other common touchpoints are light switches, doorknobs, the back of chairs, restaurant menus, faucet and refrigerator handles. Less obvious touchpoints are the food storage container, the juice bottle, the top of a chair you pull out or the kitchen counter. Use the office microwave or use a grocery store cart? Well, you get the picture.

In the cases where someone in a home has a serious illness such as C-Diff or MRSA, every linen, TV remote or candy dish they touched can be the source of reinfection. The more serious the illness and worse the immune system of occupants, the more critical disinfection of a property becomes to stop the spread of an illness.

The good news is that there are some excellent disinfection systems and programs that were originally designed for medical facilities that are now available for use in any type of property. Once we identify a risk, we can implement effective solutions for just about every cause of Sick Building Syndrome.

Suggestions for Stopping the Spread of Illness in the Home

It is really, really hard to pay attention to details and healthy practices when we are sick with a nasty bug. The only way this works in most households is to put these habits into practice before there is a sick person in the home. If you don’t have disposable plates and cups in the cupboard before illness, you are not going to the store to buy them after you are tending the sick.

Get available vaccines

Wash or disinfect your hands frequently

Use paper or disposable plates and cups

Use disposable tissues as opposed to handkerchiefs

Have ill household members wear a mask to protect from spreading their illness

Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth (viruses can transfer from your hands and into the

body).

Have children only handle toys that can be easily disinfected before being shared

Suggestions for Stopping the Spread of Illness in the Workplace

The best solution is to have a plan in place before dealing with the illness and human resource challenges that a sick workforce can bring to a professional organization. There are consultants that can set programs in place that can work for just about any facility. It is a matter of their establishing a system of communicating responsibility and direction for the workforce.

What Can You Keep or Clean after Flood or Mold Problems? and What Needs Thrown Out?

Food items that have been in contact or stored in areas with mold or water damage should be thrown away. Add a period and exclamation point to this statement.

Materials that have a solid surface such as plastic, glass or metal and no electronics or foam padding are easily cleaned and preserved. Soap and water or a commercial disinfectant is the simplest cleaning method. A mixture of 1/4 cup of Clorox to a gallon of water is another way to disinfect the hard-surfaced materials. Warning: Do not use a higher concentration of Clorox as it can result in injury to people, pets and the items the mixture contacts.

The short story is if contents are porous and flood contaminated or moldy they will probably need thrown away. This includes cardboard, carpet, padding, stuffed animals and upholstered furnishings. Mattresses and box springs are on that list.

The paper materials that did not get wet or damp and do not have visible mold or damaged may be preserved with simply HEPA vacuuming. Most paper products including books will need thrown out once moldy or wet from flooding. For very valuable items such as a family bible, there is an expensive, but effective freeze-drying process that can preserve those items.

Clothing is readily saved by washing in regular laundry detergent unless the fabric has been damaged. Mold will clean out of machine washable material. but damaged clothing is not restored to its original condition by washing.

Major and small appliances that have mold exposure but have not been under water may be saved with a professional cleaning. Consult a professional about these items. As an example, a hard drive may be removed from a computer and salvaged but could be damaged if the powered on with moldy electronics.

All appliances both big and small that have been under any water will need replaced. The cost of cleaning some of these items will often exceed the cost of replacement. Failure to clean these can result in fires, health hazards or recontamination of the home. Furnaces, hot water tanks, washing machines and the like are total losses if any part of the components have been under water.

When the Problem is “Just Mold, not Flooding”

Forced air furnaces can redistribute mold through an entire home after the property is cleaned. Furnace ductwork, blowers, cabinets need cleaned as a part of any mold remediation.

Mold can and will live behind walls. Removal of house wall finishes may be required to get rid of the mold. If you do this work yourself, learn and follow the principals of containment, negative air and air scrubbing. Handling of mold contaminated materials should be done with personal protective equipment such as gloves, eye protection and masks.

There are materials used in the construction of homes that will require replacement as opposed to cleaning. Fiberboard, carpet and pad are examples. Some types of HVAC ductwork and insulation are other common examples.

Water events and ice buildups can result in damage to property, contents and occupant’s health. Professional advice that can save these materials is a bargain. Go to http://www.envirospect.info/WInterMold for links and sources for additional information about contaminated materials or how to locate a professional service.

Retired NFL Player Chester Pitts tells homeowners about the dangers of radonView larger videoWe want Americans to know that a big part of “living green” is breathing clean, healthy indoor air. One of the best ways to protect our families’ health is to get radon gas out of our homes. It is the environmentally responsible choice that can help reduce lung cancer.Since radon enters homes from under the ground, living healthy and green starts from the ground up. By kicking radon out of homes every family can have safer, healthier air to breathe.